Screw-driver



(No Model.)

J. J. EDWARDS. SCREW DRIVER.

No. 520,519. Patented May 29,1894.

m wmw m 4 TES JOHN J. EDWVARDS, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TOSYLVANUS F. BOYVSER AND ALLEN A. BOWSER, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

SCREW-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,519, dated May 29,1894. Application filed July 19,1393. Serial No. 480,909. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatI, JOHN J. EDWARDS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Screw-Drivers; andIdo hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to self-acting screwdrivers aud like tools, andits object is to provide improved devices for causing the stock torotate either to the right or left at the will of the operator byreciprocating but without rotating the handle.

A further object is to adapt the tool to be used with the stock looked,as will be hereinafterdescribed.

The invention consists primarily of a stock having a shank provided withintersecting spiral grooves, a reciprocating handle, and clutch devices,consisting of peculiar mechanism hereinafter described, together with apartially rotatable sleeve capable of causing the desired clutch deviceto positively engage the stock, and thereby transform reciprocatingmotion into rotary motion of the stock in either a forward or a backwarddirection as may be desired.

The invention further consists in certain features of construction andcombinations of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described,and then pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings which form part of this specification, and inwhich similar letters and figures of reference are used to denotesimilar .parts in each of the several views, Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view showing the position of the parts when driving a screwdownward. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation, showing the position assumedby the parts when driving a screw vertically. Fig. 3 is a cross sectionon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking downward. Fig. 4 is a detail of aslight modification, in which the springs are dispensed with, and Fig. 5is a detail sectional view of the shell or casing partially inclosingthe clutches, as shown in Fig. 4.

A, denotes the tool stock, which may consist of a metal rod having itsfront end threaded as at a, and split longitudinally as at 0t, toreceive the shank of the screwdriver bit a or other tool insertedtherein. The shank of the bit may be tapered or made narrow at its innerend and is provided with a projection or shoulder a as shown in Fig. 1.The sleeve or chuck B, screws on the threaded portion a, of the stockand engages the shoulder a of the bit shank and forces the end of thelatter against the inclined rear wall of the split or slitted portion a,of the stock, so as to firmly hold the screw-driver bit or other tooland lock it between said inclined Wall and the sleeve or chuck B. Toinsert the bit or other tool it is only necessary to loosen the chuck orsleeve B, and insert the shank of the bit in the slitted end of thestock, and thereupon to turn the screw or chuck until it binds the ,toolin place. The stock above its slitted threaded end is provided withhigh-pitched spiral grooves, which twist oppositely and intersect eachother at regular intervals. The handle D, is adapted to receive a sleeveor casing d, which surrounds the stock A, for its entire length withinthe handle. This sleeve (1, may be secured in any suitable manner at oneend to a shell or casing E, which contains the clutch mechanism. Theshell E, (Figs. 1 and 2) has located centrally, a partition 6, whichdivides it into two compartments, and at its endsthicker end walls orheads e 6 which together with the intermediate partition 6, areperforated to receive the stock A.

F and G (if the tool be in the position shown in Fig. 1) denote theupper ratchetfaced collar and thimble, respectively, and F, G, the lowerratchetfaced collar and thimble, which are like F, G, except that theratchet teeth are made to engage in the opposite direction. f, f, denotethe ratchet teeth upon the collars F, and F, respectively, and g, g, theteeth upon the thimbles G, and G, respectively. Thimble G, has interiorlugs or projections to engage the spiral grooves 2, 2, and thimble G,has similar lugs to engage the grooves 3, 3, of the stock, so as toadapt the thimbles, when the stock is moved longitudinally, to revolvein opposite directions. The collars F, and F, are provided with lugs orflanges f f which engage'slots E", and

notches E in the shell E. These slots and notches are a little longerthan the width of the lugs, so as to permit a slight play or movement ofthe collars F,F', to adapt them to approach or recede from the thimbleswhen desired to effect the engagement or disengagement of the clutches.One notch E is formed in the edge of the semi-cylindrical part of theshell E, opposite each slot E, as shown moreclearly in Figs. 4: and 5,so as to adapt the collars to be readily placed in positlon or removedwhen the device is taken apart. A light spiral spring H, is preferablyplaced between the collar F, and the end wall or head e of the shell E,and a similar spring between the middle wall e, and the collar F, so asto yieldingly force the collars toward the thimbles and cause the latterto partially engage when the tool is in a horizontal positlon, thepressure upon the handle, when the tool is applied to its workcompleting the engagement of the ratchet. These springs are especiallydesigned to aid in effecting the engagement of the clutch when the toolis in a horizontal position, but they may be dispens'ed with and gravityalone be'relied upon to accomplish the desired result, particularly whenthe tool is used with the point downward or upward. But a spring isdesirable and preferably employed to accomplish in a hor zontal positionwhat gravity does in the posltions just enumerated, and may beadllatitageously employed in all positions of the I, 1, denote clipsengaging the thimbles G, G, and provided with prongs t', 2", whichterminate with inclined or cam faces 6 '21 adapted to engage suitablecam lugs or projections K, K, located upon the inner surface of theshell E, adjacent to the prongs of the clips. The clips 1,1, aresubstantially alike, except that the inclines or cam faces on one pointin an opposite direction to those on the other so as to adapt them toact in opposite directions, and cause only one clutch to operativelyengage the stock at a time. These .clips are further provided with ribsor proj ections 1 1 which form the walls of a groove or key-way, whichis adapted to be engaged by a key or spline Z, on the inside of a sleeveL. The sleeve L, surrounds the shell E, which it fits closely, and maybe confined between a bead'on the head 6 of the shell and a shoulder onthe handle D. The head 6 is grooved so as to permitthe key or spline Z,to slip through it and to be brought into place where it engages thegrooves or ways in the slips 1, I. The sleeve L, is adapted to rotateabout a third of a complete revolution. By giving it a partial rotationin one direction the clips I, I, will be moved so as to cause theratchet teeth on one of the collars to engage the adj acent thimble andto disengage the other collar and thimhle; and a partial rotation in theopposite direction will disengage the first mentioned thimhle and collarand engage the other. When the sleeve is between these two extre1nes,orcentrally of the space through which it may rotate, neither pair ofratchet teeth on the collars and thimbles are in position to cause thestock to rotate, and in this position of the parts the stock will belocked when the tool is held point upward, by reason of the inclinedfaces 6 1 'on the prongs t', t", engaging the cams K, upon the shell E,in such manner that the collar F, and thimble G, will oppose the collarF, and thimble G, so that the pins or lugs on the thimbles,respectively, will engage the spiral grooves 2 and 3, and the stock willbe held immovable "so long as the sleeve L, remains in that position,thereby forming a rigid instead of a spiral screw-driver. The movementsof the collars and thimbles are controlled by gravity when the sleeve L,is turned either to the extreme right or left of its center position,aided by a light spring as above indicated, which spring, however, isunnecessary except when the tool is in a horizontal position. In thislatter position the spring takes the place of gravity, when the tool isused as a ratchet screw-driver, as will hereinafter appear.

In the modification shown in Figs.4 and 5, the springs H, and thecentral partition 6, of the shell E, are omitted. In other respects thedevice is identical in construction with the device shown in Figs. 1, 2and 3. Without the springs gravity will act to automatically engage anddisengage the thimbles and collars, according to the position of thetool, in all cases except the horizontal. The collars and thimbles willalso be locked to form a rigid tool instead of a spiral, the same as inthe other construction in which the springs are used.

The operation of the device is as follows: The handle D, is grasped inthe hand and the sleeve L, turned either to the right hand or the left,on the shell E, according to the direction in which the screw is to beturned. This movement turns the clips I, I, because of the engagementofthe key or spline l, with the ribs 1 1 of the clips. This movement,however, does not control the movement of the thimbles F, G, except toreverse the tool, while the handle is held in the same position, andmakes it possible for the ratchet teeth on the collar F, and thimhle G,to interlock, or

those on collar F and thimhle G. Conceiving the tool to be in theposition shown in Fig. l,the collar F, and the thimhle G, will engagewith each other; the collar F, falling by gravity, or aided by a lightspring, will engage the teeth of thimhle G, to about onehalf of thedepth of the teeth, and when pressure is applied the stock tends toforce back the thimhle, owing to the engagement of the stud or pincarried by the thimhle and the spiral groove, until it is completelylocked, both collar and thimble being capable of only a limitedmovement. The handle is pushed down, and as ,the shell E, is fast to thehandle, and the thimhle G, is locked to the shell through its engagementwith the collar F, (which is confined within the notch and slot in theopposite walls of the shell E,) the lugs or studs on thimble G, engagewith spiral grooves 2, and revolve the stock so as to drive the screw.-The thimble G, being disengaged from thewcollar F, is free to revolveduring the reciprocation. In order to reverse the tool, the sleeve L,must be turned in the op posite direction, and the cams on the prongs ofthe clips I, I, will cause the opposite pair of ratchet teeth to engageand simultaneously disengage those that were engaged. The reciprocationof the handle with the parts in this position will cause the rotatorymotion of the stock to be reversed. When the tool is held in ahorizontal position, as before stated, the light springs cause thedesired pair of ratchet teeth to engage to about one-half the depth ofthe teeth, and when pressure is exerted on the handle they are caused tolock to their full depth. A movement of the sleeve in the oppositedirection operates to reverse the tool in the manner just described.When the tool is used as a ratchet screw driver,the clutches with theirrespective teeth being in their proper positionthe handle D, is firmlygrasped and turned, and the desired thimble or clutch being locked willturn the tool in one direction and disengage upon the reversal of saidmovement. It will thus be seen that the tool may be used as a rigid, aspiral, or a ratchet screw-driver, when the conditions of the work to bedone require it.

It is evident that various modifications in construction may be madewithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, hence I donot desire to be limited to the exact construction and arrangement ofparts shown and described.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is-

1. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, of the shell or casing loosely fitted on said stock, a pair ofthimbles each provided with ratchet-teeth and with a lug or lugsengaging the respective spiral grooves of the stock; the teeth upon onethimble being inclined in an opposite direction to those upon the other,a pair of loose collars each having ratchet-teeth adapted to interlockwith one of said thimbles, and means for simultaneously shifting saidthimbles so as to either engage both and look the stock against rotationor engage one thimble and simultaneously disengage the other, for thepurpose of causing the stock to rotate in either a forward or backwarddirection, substantially as described.

2. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, and the shell or casing fitted thereon, of a pair of clutchdevices each comprising a loose collar having ratchet-teeth, a thimblealso having ratchetteeth adapted to interlock with said collar;

the teeth upon one set of clutch devices being inclined in an oppositedirection to those upon the other, so as to cause the stock to rotate inopposite directions by engaging and disengaging one or the other of saidclutches, a ing or lugs on each of said thimbles engaging the respectivespiral grooves of the stock, and means for simultaneously shifting thethimbles so as to either engage both clutches and lock the stock againstrotation or engage one and simultaneously disengage the other so as tocause the stock to rotate in either a forward or backward direction asmay be desired, substantially as described.

3. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, and the shell fitted thereon having interior cam projections,of the clutch devices comprising the loose collars having ratchet teeth,similarly toothed thimbles for engaging said collars, each havingalugengaging one of said grooves in the stock, and the clips having theprongs with inclined or cam faces adapted to engage said cam projectionsso as to shift said thimbles and simultaneously engage both clutchdevices or engage one and disengage the other, and means for partiallyrotating said clips, substantially as described.

4. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, of the shell or casing loosely fitted thereon, a pa r of loosecollars capable of a slight longitudinal movement and havingratchet-teeth 1n-v clined in opposite directions, a pair of thunbleseach having ratchet-teeth adapted to interlock with one of said collars;each thimble being provided with a lug or lugs engaging one of saidgrooves, springs tending to force said collars into engagement with saidthimbles, and means for simultaneously shifting the thimbles so as toeither engage one with one of said collars and disengage the other orsimultaneously engage both, substantially as described.

5. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, of a shell or casing loosely fitted thereon, a pair of collarsalso loosely fitted on said stock and provided with ratchet-teethinclined in opposlte directions; said collars having lugs or flangeswhich enter elongated slots or notches in said casing, so 'as to permitslight longitudinal movement or play thereof, a pair of thimbles looselymounted on said stock within said casing having ratchet-teeth adapted toengage the teeth of said collars and provided with internal lugs fittingthe respective spiral grooves of the stock; a partially rotatable sleevesurrounding said shell, and clips keyed to said sleeve and engaging saidthimbles, so

as to simultaneously shift the same when the sleeve is rotated,substantially as described.

6. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, of the shell or casing loosely fitted thereon, a pair ofcollars also loosely fitted upon said stock and capable of a slightlongitudinal movement;

said collars having ratchet-teeth inclined in opposite directions andprovided with lugs or flanges adapted to enter suitable slots or notchesin said casing, a pair of thimbles loosely mounted on said stock withinsaid casing having ratchet-teeth adapted to interlock with the teeth onsaid collars, and provided with internal lugs fitting the respectivespiral grooves of the stock, clips on said thimbles having exterior lugsor key-ways and provided with prongs having cam faces adapted to engagecams or projections on the interior of said casing, and a sleeve capableof a partial rotation having a spline or key engaging said ways, wherebyone or both thimbles may be thrown into engagement with said collar orcollars so as to either lock the stock against rotation or cause it torotate in either a forward or backward direction, as may be desired,substantially as described.

7. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, and a shell or casing fitted thereon having a centrallydisposed partition or wall, of a pair of ratchet-toothed thimbles fittedon said stock, one above and the other below said partition; the teethof one of said thimbles being inclined in an opposite direction to theteeth upon the other thimble, and each having a lug engaging one of saidgrooves, a pair of collars capable of a slight longitudinal movement,each having ratchet teeth adapted to engage one of said thimbles; one ofsaid collars being located centrally and the other at one end of saidshell, springs placed one between said centrally disposed collar andsaid partition and another between the end wall or head of the shell andthe collar at said end and tending to force said collars into engagementwith said thimbles, and means for engaging said thimbles with therespective collars so as to lock the stock, and fordisengaging onethimble and simultaneously engaging the other so as to reverse therotary movement of the stock at will, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the stock having right and left hand spiralgrooves, and a. shell or casing fitted thereon having a centrallydisposed partition or wall, of a'pair of ratchet-toothed thimbles fittedon said stock, one above and the other below said partition; the teethof one of said thimbles being inclined in an opposite direction to theteeth upon the other thimble, and each having a lug engaging one of saidgrooves, a pair of collarscapable of a slightlongitudinal movement, eachhaving ratchet-teeth adapted to engage one of said thimbles; one of saidcollars beinglocated centrally and the other at one end of said shell,springs placed one between said centrally disposed collar and saidpartition and another between the end wall or head of the shell and thecollar at said end, and tending to force said collars into engagementwith said thimbles, and means for engaging said thimbles with therespective collars so as to lock the stock, and for disengaging onethimble and simultaneously engaging the other so as to reverse therotary movement of the stock at will, comprising a sleeve inclosing saidshell, a clip for each thimble keyed to said sleeve and having a prongwith an inclined or cam face, and cam projections on the interior ofsaid shell adapted to engage said prongs and move the clips when thesleeve is rotated,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN J. EDWARDS. Witnesses:

H. B. HUSTON, THOS. EDWARDS, Jr.

